The ancestors of the name Dinstume date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Dinstume family lived near a stony hill. Dinstume is derived from two Old English elements: dun and stan.Dun was a word for hill, and stan meant "stony." The translation of the name is therefore "stony hill." It is also possible that the name is patronymic; that is, derived from the name of a parent. Dunstan was a popular given name in England in the Middle Ages.

Dinstume Early Origins

The surname Dinstume was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from very ancient times. The earliest reference of the name was of Dunstan (c.909 - 988,) who was an Abbot of Glastonbury, a Bishop of Worcester, a Bishop of London, and an Archbishop of Canterbury. He was later canonized as a saint. Durston is a village and civil parish in Somerset that dates back to the Domesday Books where it lists Roger Arundel as originally holding the land but later passed to William de Arlegh who founded the priory of Buckland Sororum (also known as Buckland Priory) in about 1167. The market-town and parish of Shiffnall in Shropshire was home to another branch of the family. "This place, formerly called Idsall, appears to have been of greater note than it is at present. It belonged to Earl Morcar prior to the Conquest, and at a period considerably later was the property of the family of Dunstanville, one of whom, Walter de Dunstanville, by the special command of Henry III., resided in the Marches, to protect them against the ravaging incursions of the Welsh. The estate afterwards came into the possession of the Badlesmeres, who obtained from Edward I. a market for two days in the week, and two yearly fairs." [1]CITATION[CLOSE]Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

Dinstume Spelling Variations

Dinstume Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Dinstume are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Dinstume include: Dunstan, Dunston, Dunstone, Dunstane, Donston, Dunstavill and many more.

Dinstume Early History

Dinstume Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Dinstume research. Another 283 words (20 lines of text) covering the years 1202 and 1291 are included under the topic Early Dinstume History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Dinstume Early Notables (pre 1700)

Dinstume Early Notables (pre 1700)

More information is included under the topic Early Dinstume Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

The Great Migration

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North Ameri ca. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Dinstume or a variant listed above: Andrew Dunston who settled in Virginia with his wife Cicely in 1653; William Dunston settled in Virginia in 1654; Anne Dunstan settled in Maryland in 1741.

The Dinstume Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Dinstume Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.